UCF Basketball Score: Johnson Scores 25 as Knights Beat Georgia Southern 84–70, Stay Perfect
Dior Johnson scored 25 points and Arturo Dean added 21 as UCF beat Georgia Southern 84–70 at Addition Financial Arena on Friday night — the Knights' fourth win in four games, with an SEC test against Mississippi State next on Tuesday.
2 minute read
Four games in, the UCF men’s basketball team has yet to trail its way into trouble. Dior Johnson scored 25 points and Arturo Dean added 21 as the Knights beat Georgia Southern 84–70 at Addition Financial Arena on Friday night, improving to 4–0 on the season and setting up Tuesday’s visit from Mississippi State as the first real measuring stick of the young schedule. Our UCF Knights page in Orlando Citizen Sports carries both Knights programs all winter.
Two 20-point nights run the show
Johnson, who entered the night as the nation’s leading scorer, reached 20 points for the fourth time this season — and, dating back to his time at Tarleton State, for the eighth straight game. Dean’s 21 came on an efficient 75 percent shooting night. UCF led from start to finish, took a 36–27 lead into halftime — the first time in four games the Knights have led at the break — shot 52.4 percent from the field and owned the paint, outscoring the Eagles 52–22 inside. Dallas Gardner led Georgia Southern (1–3) with 25 points and Truman Claytor IV added 15. The win was UCF’s fifth all-time against Georgia Southern, against one loss in the series.
The SEC test is next
The Knights close their five-game season-opening homestand on Tuesday, Nov. 17 against Mississippi State at Addition Financial Arena (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+). It is a clear step up in weight class from the first four opponents, with a game against Vanderbilt also waiting next week. A 5–0 start is there for the taking — but for the first time this season, UCF will have to earn it against a power-conference roster.
A split weekend for the Knights
Friday’s win was the bright half of UCF’s weekend: on Saturday night the football Knights fell at home with bowl eligibility on the line. Read both sides of it in our UCF football recap: the 26–13 loss to Arizona State and the two-game bowl race, and round out the weekend with the Magic’s NBA Cup win over Milwaukee.
Photo: Addition Financial Arena (48655783447) by elisfkc · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons · AI-enhanced by Orlando Citizen.
Orlando Citizen by email
The weekly edition, in your inbox
One email, every Saturday: the week’s edition of Orlando Citizen — the week’s stories, rankings and winners, gathered in one place. Free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Related Stories
Editor’s Picks
Spotted an error? Tell us — corrections · How we rank
